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More Billy - Remembered
Many people claimed to have known Billy the Kid. Some of course just liked to tell a tall tale, some wanted fame, some were hiding the truth and some were just down right honest. Who is who is debatable and the reader will have to make up their own minds. Also you'll find quotes, interviews and supposed quips from the Kid himself. Blazin' Young Guns would like y'all to know that this section is only a small offering of tales and musing on Billy by people claiming to know him. For more please go to the media book section and help keep the Kid's spirit alive by buying a good few books. Remembering Billy Frank Coe “The Kid stayed with me at my home for most of one winter, during which time we became staunch friends. I never enjoyed better company. He was humorous and told me many amusing stories. He always found a touch of humor in everything, being naturally full of fun and jollity. Though he was serious in emergencies, his humor was often apparent even in such situations. Billy stood with us to the end, brave and reliable, one of the best soldiers we had. He never pushed in his advice or opinions, but he had a wonderful presence of mind; the tighter the place the more he showed his cool nerve and quick brain. He was a fine horseman, quick and always in the lead, at the same time he was kind to his horses and could save them and have them ready and fresh when he needed to make a dash. He never seemed to care for money, except to buy cartridges with; then he would prefer to gamble for then straight. Cartridges were scarce, and he always used about ten times as many as anyone else. He would practice shooting at every thing he saw and from every conceivable angle, on and off his horse. He never drank. He would go to the bar with anyone, but I never saw him drink a drop." George Coe "Billy was a brave, resourceful and honest boy; he would have been a successful man under other circumstances. I loved the youngster in the old days, and can say now, after the passing fifty years, that I still love his memory. It was impossible for him to work or make an honest livelihood; otherwise many of his friends would gladly have hired him and given him a chance to settle down under Governor Wallace’s’ terms of pardon. But the Kid was never permitted to halt his career. His enemies were determined to have his life and would not stop until they had taken it. He was compelled to live the life of an outlaw, though his outlawry consisted more of stealing cattle than of killing. The motive behind Pat Garrett’s relentless pursuit of the Kid was that his death meant money and the office of sheriff of Lincoln County. The Kid was a thousand times better and braver than any man hunting him, including Pat Garrett." Susan McSween "Billy was not a bad man; that is, he was not a murder who killed wantonly. Most of those he did kill deserved what they got. Of course, I cannot very well defend his stealing of horses and cattle; but, when you consider that the Murphy, Dolan, and Riley people forced him into such a lawless life through efforts to secure his arrest and conviction, it is hard to blame the poor boy for what he did. One thing is certain- Billy was as brave as they make them and knew how to defend himself. He was charged with practically all the killings in Lincoln County in those days, but that was simply because his name had become synonym for daring and fearlessness. I have believed that if Mr. Tunstall had lived, Billy, under his guidance, would have become a valuable citizen, for he was a remarkable boy, far above the average of the young men of those times and he undoubtedly had the making of a fine man in him.” Paulita Maxwell "Billy the Kid fascinated many women. In every place in the Pecos some little senorita was proud to be known as his querida. Three girls at least in Fort Sumner were mad about him. One is now a respected matron of Las Vegas. Another, who died long ago, had a daughter who lived to be eight years old and whose striking resemblance to the famous outlaw filled her mother's heart with pride. The third was his inamorata when he was killed. Fort Sumner was a gay little place. The weekly dance was an event, and pretty girls from Santa Rosa, Puerto de Luna, Anton Chico, and from towns and ranches fifty miles away, drove in to attend it. Billy the Kid cut quite a gallant figure at these affairs. He was not handsome but had a certain sort of boyish good looks. He was always smiling and good-natured and very polite and danced remarkably well, and the little Mexican beauties made eyes at him from behind their fans and used all their coquetries to capture him and were very vain of his attentions." Sallie Chisum "Many a gallop across country Billy the Kid and I took together, and many a pleasant evening we sat talking for hours on the front gallery" Lily Klasner "The Kid had a great personality and could ingratiate himself in people's good graces very quickly; he had a laughing blue eye always smiling and laughing, quick and accommodating, very goodhearted, had a innocent timid look. (The Kid) had a girl in every town. He was always bringing them sine little, costly present in the way of jewelry: what did he care what it cost, because he stole all his money anyway." Carlota Baca Brent (resident of Fort Sumner) "Today the Keed is featured as a mean man, as dark as a Mexican, he wasn’t he was a light complexion boy that was always smiling; he was brave and loyal to his friends. The Keed was gone but many Spanish girls mourned for him.” Dr. Henry Hoyt “Billy was an expert at most Western sport, with the exception of drinking. He was a handsome youth with a smooth face, wavy brown hair, an athletic and symmetrical figure, and clear blue eyes that could look one through and through. Unless angry, he always seemed to have a pleasant expression with a ready smile. His head was well shaped, his features regular, his nose aquiline, his most noticeable characteristic a slight projection of his upper front teeth. He spoke Spanish like a native, and although only a beardless boy, was nevertheless a natural leader of men. With his poise, iron nerve, and all-round efficiency properly applied, the Kid could have made a success anywhere.” John Meadows “He must have had good stuff in him, for he was always an expert at whatever he tried to do. When he was rough, he was rough as men ever get to be…too awful rough at times, but everything in the country was rough back then. He done some things I can’t endorse, but Kid certainly had good feelings.” Miguel Otero Jr (supposedly met the Kid on a train after his arrest) “I liked the Kid very much, and long before we reached Santa Fe, nothing would have pleased me more than to witnessed his escape. He had his share of good qualities and was very pleasant. He had a reputation for being considerate of the old, the young, and the poor; he was loyal to his friends and above all, loved his mother devotedly. He was unfortunate in starting life, and became a victim of circumstances. In looking back to my first meeting with Billy the Kid, my impressions were most favorable and I can honestly say that he was a man more sinned against than sinning.” Hijinio (Yginio) Salazar (former Regulator who rode with Billy) “Billy the Kid was the bravest man I ever knew. He did not know what fear meant. Everyone who knew him loved him. He was kind and good to poor people, and he was always a gentleman, no matter where he was. When in danger, he was the coolest man I ever saw- he acted like a flash from a gun. He was quick as kitten and when he aimed his pistol and fired, something dropped; he never missed his mark." H.F. Smith (Foreman who hired Billy) “He said he was seventeen, though he didn’t look to be fourteen. I gave him a job helping around camp. He hadn’t worked very long until he wanted his money. I asked him if he was going to quit. He said, ‘No, I want to buy some things.’ I asked him how much he wanted and tried to get him to take $10 for I thought that was enough for him to spend, but he hesitated and asked for $40. I gave it to him. He went down to the post trader and bought himself a whole outfit: six-shooter, belt, scabbard, and cartridges.” Louis Abraham (Childhood friend of Billy) “The story of Billy the Kid killing a blacksmith in Silver City is false. Billy never was in any trouble at all; he was a good boy, maybe a little mischievous at times than the rest of us, with a little more nerve. When the boy was placed in jail and escaped he was not bad, he was just scared. If he had only waited until they let him out he would have been all right, but he was scared and ran away." Anthony Conner Jr. (Childhood friend of Billy) “We were just boys together. I never remember Billy doing anything out of the way, anymore than the rest of us. Billy got to be quite a reader. He would scarcely have his dishes washed, until he would be sprawled out somewhere reading a book. It was the same down at the butcher shop, if he was helping around there. The first thing you know, he would be reading. Finally, he took to reading the Police Gazette and dime novels." Billy's Own Words * "I'm outlawed and it wasn't long since I was a law and old Pat an outlaw. Funny thing, the law" --Quote by Billy the Kid to Heiskell Jones 1880" * "There's many a slip 'twix the cup and the lip." * "Of course you know, George, I never meant for those birds to reach Lincoln alive." --Billy the Kid to George Coe in regards to the deaths of Frank Baker and Billy Morton. * "I don't blame you for writing of me as you have. You had to believe other stories but then I don't know, as anyone would believe anything good of me anyway. I wasn't the leader of my gang, I was for Billy all the time." * "If mob law is going to rule, better dismiss judge, sheriff, etc., and let all take chances alike. I expected to be lynched in going to Lincoln. Advise persons never to engage in killing." * "Pat, you son-of-a-bitch, they told me there was a hundred Texans here from the Canadian River! If I'd a-known there wasn't no more than this, you'd never have got me!" --Billy the Kid to Pat Garrett, immediately after stepping out of the rock house at Stinking Springs and surrendering to Garrett's posse. * "Considering the active part Wallace took on our side and the friendly relations that existed between him and me, I think he ought to pardon me. Don't know that he will do it. When I was arrested for that murder, he let me out and gave me freedom of the town and let me go about with my arms. When I got ready to go I left. Think it hard that I should be the only one to suffer the extreme penalties of the law." * "I don't care to open negotiations with a fight, but if you'll come at me three at a time, I'll whip the whole damned bunch of you!" --Billy the Kid to Jessie Evans, Jimmy Dolan, Billy Campbell, and Billy Mathews after Evans suggested to his companions that they kill Billy on sight. * "What's the point of lookin' on the gloomy side of everythin'" He paused and gave the reporter a winning smile, "Laugh's on me this time." * "I'm outlawed and it wasn't long since I was a law and old Pat an outlaw. Funny thing, the law."